Choosing a Family Tree Template — What the Format Decides, and What It Doesn't

Many people search for “family tree template.” Once the format is set, all you have to do is fill in the names, so it is certainly convenient. However, it can cause trouble later. In this article, we explain how to choose a template and what its limits are.

Templates Come in Three Types

• Vertical (like a hanging scroll)— the generations flow from top to bottom. Well suited for display
• Horizontal (like a lineage chart)— a shape that fits more easily on paper when there are many people
• Spreadsheet software— you can add as much as you like, but drawing the lines is up to you by hand

Three Things to Check When Choosing

1. How Many Generations Does It Hold?

If you try to add a fifth generation to a format made for four, you will get stuck there. It is safest to choose one generation more than you currently know.

2. Can You Add to It Later?

A family tree is not finished once it is made. Marriages, births, newly discovered ancestors — a format that has to be redrawn every time you add someone cannot be used for long.

3. What Size Will You Print It At?

Four generations and about thirty people will often fit on A3, but beyond that the text becomes small. If you decide first whether to “fit it on A3” or “make one large sheet”, choosing a format becomes easy.

Where Templates Tend to Get Stuck

The most common problem is lines that end up crossing. In families with many siblings or with remarriages, fitting people into fixed boxes inevitably makes lines overlap. When that happens, you can no longer tell who is whose parent.

The other is the placement of couples. In some formats the spouse's position is fixed, which may not suit your family's circumstances.

Making One Without Choosing a Format

With the Family Map, you don't need to decide on a format first. When you add a person, the lines are redrawn automatically and everything is rearranged so the lines don't cross. When printing, you can choose whether to fit it on A4 or make one large sheet.

Even if you would like to write it on paper, deciding the shape on screen first and then making a clean copy means less redrawing.

For the overall process, see What Is a Family Tree? — How to Make One, Gathering Family Registers, and Costs.

For how to draw the tree itself, please see How to Draw a Family Tree.